Tom Riddle Switched Lives
by Pyro Yuki
Summary: Harry Potter and Tom Riddle are like black and white. What would happen if Harry Potter was born first and became You-Know-Who, and Tom Riddle, the boy who lived? This is a story where Tom Riddle has to go through all of the school years we know from the books. But things aren't the same and heroes may play the villain roles. The question is, can Slytherin's heir ever be the hero?
1. Book 1 Chapter 1 The Boy Who Lived

**Author's Note~**

**Please be aware that the plots and storyline differ somewhat from the books. It is plagiarism if I didn't at least try to make each chapter a little different from the original. Read before you judge, though i would really like to see your reviews. Also be aware that Tom Riddle changes since he grew up differently. He isn't 'a snake in the grass' kind of hunk. And he has Harry Potter's scar on his head too. ;)**

**Read, Review, and Enjoy~!**

**EDIT- Since i've forgotten about a disclaimer, here it is: J.K. Rowling owns the books and her characters, I own the OC**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**The Boy Who Lived**

Out in the quiet glens of north England, the rumors that had been plaguing the area for two years were finally simmering down. Everyone from Great Hangleton to Little Hangleton had been talking about the scandal at the Riddle House. Tom Riddle, the only son Thomas and Eleanor Riddle ever had, returned one night from no where. What's more, he was alone. There was no wife, who he had suddenly eloped with. Something that scandalous would continue to be talked about in a small village, even if it was years ago.

Thomas Riddle was the richest man in both Great and Little Hangleton and held little restraint in showing it off. Eleanor Riddle was little better. Both were rich, rude, and smug just like their son. Tom had the better looks in the family, so that made him damn near close to intolerable, but gorgeous. He had flirted with at least every one of the prettiest ladies in the two Hangletons anyway. Nobody really liked anything about them but the occasional scandals that come from within the Riddle House.

But time had moved on and the people in the village of Great Hangleton needed more to talk about than the Riddle scandal. Everyone simply ran out of gossip. The Riddles hadn't said a word about the scandal to any of the villagers and the only thing Tom Riddle told anyone was that he had been "taken in". Merope Gaunt's face had never been seen since and the Riddles acted like they had never heard the name before.

So the villagers went back to their quiet life and time moved on. The Riddles gradually returned to being as nasty as they always had been. There were even times that Tom was seen with his old lover, Cecilia Riverlen. It was as if the scandal had never happened.

But on Christmas Eve, every person in the village got a marvelous surprise as they saw _owls_ flying overhead in broad daylight! Not that many had been spotted before, the children were delighted while the adults remained puzzled.

They looked to the news stations of other towns for answers, but the SAME thing was happening all over England! It was simply unexplained. Shooting stars were spotted in other places as well. The newsman thought it was people with very high Christmas Spirit and were lighting off fireworks.

That got the gossip going once more, and it would be an understatement to say that the Riddles were secretly over joyed that THEY were finally no longer in the gossip spotlight. How short their joy would last.

Thomas Riddle had been taking a car ride through the town a few miles over to pick up some things. That was the only problem besides the ever raging gossip. Small towns like his never had what you really wanted and it was too much of a bother to ship it. That cost money. HIS money.

Thomas got out and strolled down the sidewalk to pick up the book his wife wanted. He did see the most peculiar people on the streets that Christmas Eve. They wore robes that Mr. Riddle had never seen before. They wore pointed hats as well. They looked like some of the funnies looking people too. And if it was one thing Mr. Riddle was good at, it was judging people by how they looked. It could mean a lot about their personality as well as the money they made.

Was that some odd new fashion in the bigger towns? It looked ridiculous! They looked like they were part of a cult or something nasty of the like. Mr. Riddle would have none of that in HIS town. He was sure of that.

But as he opened the bookstore's door he heard two blokes whispering.

"That poor woman, so young…and a widow at that-"

"- yes, her son…Tom…so young without his mother-"

"-I heard his father…Muggle…and ran off as soon as she-"

"-Disgraceful man-"

Mr. Riddle didn't know why, but the word 'Muggle' struck a memory of one of his maids telling him that Tom was saying things in his sleep since he had come back. One of those words was Muggle. Was that some strange new word that meant something?

And this young baby named Tom…rather odd, but it was a common name. His own son told him so quite angrily once. But he was blocking the door and it didn't seem to concern him so he continued into the book store.

When he came out though, he ran into another funny old man in robes. They both had fallen over. Mr. Riddle was quite annoyed.

"I say! Can't you watch where you're going?!" He snapped, getting up and picking up his things without ever looking at the man who was smiling broadly.

"I am sorry, good man, but you much excuse my excitement! For today is a glorious day to give thanks to be alive! Nothing could make me upset today! Even a Muggle like you should rejoice, for You-Know-Who is gone at last!" The man actually hugged the very stunned Mr. Riddle and dashed away, leaving him staring behind.

"Mad…This world has gone mad…"He muttered, getting into his car and driving off. Was Christmas getting that crazy to celebrate? And there was that word again...'Muggle'. What could it mean? He did not speak again until he got home for supper.

"Tom?" He asked, pausing between eating his soup and looking at him across the table.

"Yes, father?" Tom, however, did not look up but continued to look rather bored at his soup as he ate.

"I was in another town today and heard a funny new word. I'm just assuming that it's something all the younger people say."

"Possibly."

"Well then, what is a Muggle?" Mr. Riddle asked, staring at his son.

Tom Riddle's head shot up with eyes so large Mr. Riddle thought they might just spring out of their sockets.

"Where did you hear that?!" He demanded. His reaction to the word shocked his father greatly.

"Just some strange blokes in the town over were saying that word a lot. Is it some swear word I should know about?" He asked, frowning. If it was some dirty word…

"No…No, it's not a swear word, father. It means nothing. It's nothing…" his voice faded out. Mr. Riddle's eyes gleamed. It didn't SEEM nothing to him, but he had enough respect for his son to not press further. It was probably something to do with the scandal years back anyway and he had had ENOUGH of that!

The Riddles soon retired into their beds in the quiet of the night. But Tom Riddle had trouble getting to bed sooner. His thoughts buzzed with the word his father heard.

Muggle.

He hadn't heard that word since that devil of a woman told him what she was and explained what she had done to him. Love potions… baby… pure-blooded heir… Muggles and Wizards…. a whole other world completely beside this one… utter madness.

He had never regretted leaving Merope Gaunt, even though she was pregnant with his child. She had tricked him and she'd dare think that he would love that girl in rags after all he had been told?

He just wanted his rich life without all this madness. He had been perfectly willing to marry Cecilia Riverlen until that witch got her hands on him. It had taken much time, but now Cecilia had forgiven him and wanted to start over with him. He needn't worry about Merope and that baby that was probably as much of a monster as its mother. They were filth. He was not.

With that thought settled out, Tom Riddle soon drifted off to sleep; never knowing what nightmares would plague him in the next day.

**…**

It had started to snow around midnight. Wither it was from the magic of Christmas or other, no one could possibly tell. But one snowy white owl with odd spots around its eyes was not flying up in the sky with its brethren. One might have thought it had stopped to rest in the old oak tree by the Riddle House, had it not been perched there the entire day and watching the house.

There was a small breeze in the air that rattled the branches a little. When it died, there was a tall looming figure walking down the road towards the Riddle Manor. When the figure passed the only streetlight still lit, details were revealed it to be a very tall woman in navy blue robes similar to that of the people Mr. Riddle had seen earlier that day. She also wore a pointed hat that gave her the appearance of a woman dressed as a witch for Halloween. Very out of place in the Christmas holidays.

This woman's name was Minerva McGonagall. Her hair was ashy grey, but not quiet white. She moved with an air of dignity and swiftness not fit for an older woman. She wore a pair of spectacles on her nose that enhanced a very studious look.

As Minerva McGonagall approached the house, she stopped and looked up at the snowy owl with odd dots around its eyes, and smiled slightly. "Rather a cold night to be sitting in a tree, eh Professor Dumbledore?"

In a blink of an eye, a wizard with long silvery hair as long as his beard. He was about the same tall height as McGonagall, and just as thin. He was wearing standard black robes that evening with a rounded cap on his head. He also wore spectacles, but they were the half-moon type. He was possibly younger than McGonagall but his hair had gone white much faster than hers.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked, rather light and curious.

"Albus, I have never seen an owl perch so long, nor stare at one house for a whole day."

"I have just been watching these Muggles." He told her, a slight frown appearing on his face.

"But for all day? Surely you'd want to be celebrating. I know I've passed many parties on my way here."

"Yes, about that," Dumbledore's face showed a frown now, "everyone seems to have lost their common sense! Owls spotted all over England and shooting stars. All I can say is thank god the Muggles just think it's just Christmas spirit."

"You can hardly blame them though, Albus. We've had so little to celebrate for 11 years." She told him calmly.

"Yes, yes, but let us not all lose our heads and become careless. Wizards on the street aren't even attempting to look like Muggles. It would be just our luck that the very day You-Know-Who disappeared, Muggles find out about the magical world. But is he really gone, McGonagall?"

"It looks that way…Care for a sea-salt caramel?"

"A what?" Dumbledore looked befuddled.

McGonagall lifted a chocolate sweet from inside her pocket and showed it to him. "A Muggle sweet. I'm not fond of many, but they do make good sweets every now and then. It's sweet but has a salty taste to it."

"No thank you." He didn't seem in the mood. She popped one into her mouth. "So _are_ the rumors true about You-Know-Who-"

"Albus, surely you can call him by name by now? All this You-Know-Who nonsense. He has a proper name, you know: _Yametrah_. I have never seen a reason not to say Yametrah's name."

Dumbledore flinched at the name, but McGonagall just popped another small chocolate into her mouth. "I know you haven't, but you're different! Everyone knows that you're the only one You-Know-, fine, _Yametrah_, was ever frightened of!"

"You put too much credit on me," though McGonagall let out a chuckle, "Yametrah had powers I will never have."

"Only because you're…you're too _noble_ to use such a means!" Dumbledore spoke out.

"My, I haven't blushed this much since the Hogwarts Christmas party last year."

Dumbledore rolled his eyes. "Anyway, owls and shooting stars are _nothing_ compared to the rumors I've heard. Have you heard them? About why he's disappeared? About what snuffed him in the end?"

Dumbledore's voice grew ever more curious with each question. For it was the real reason why he had put up with sitting in that old oak the whole day. His blue eyes were focused only on the woman beside him as they slowly edged up the road to the Riddle Manor.

"What they _are_ saying is that last night Yametrah turned up at the doorstep of your old house in Godric's Hollow. He went after the last of the Gaunts, after Merope and her son. And…he…he _killed_ her."

McGonagall bowed her head and Professor Dumbledore stiffened with the realization. "Poor Merope…that's no way to go…after what hell she's been through…with that accursed family of hers…and being abandoned by that…that _MUGGLE!_" Dumbledore let out an angry huff, but then let out a woe-some sigh. "Oh Minerva…she deserved better, that girl."

McGonagall patted his shoulder and nodded sadly.

Dumbledore continued in his sad voice. "But that's not all. They say that he went after Merope's boy, Tom. But for some odd reason, he couldn't. He couldn't kill that half-blood baby. No one knows why or how, but they are saying that when he couldn't kill Tom Riddle Jr., Yametrah's body and power broke- that's why he's gone."

McGonagall nodded again, without words.

"It…It's _true_ then?!" Professor Dumbledore gasped, "After all that…and the people he's killed, he couldn't kill that little boy?! That's incredible! All the things in the world to stop him…but how in god's name did Tom Riddle Jr. _survive_?!"

"We may never know. There will be countless theories in the years to come," McGonagall said and took out a funny golden watch from her pocket and checked the time. She then put it back into her pocket.

"Judy is late. Is that how you knew to be here?"

"Yes, though I don't hope to think you're going to tell me _why_ you are at this house of all places." Professor Dumbledore huffed irritably again.

"I'm here to bring young Tom Riddle here to his grandparents and father. They are the only family the boy has left."

Professor Dumbledore looked as though she had just stricken him across the face with her watch. "You…You can't be _**serious**_! Tom, live _here?!_" He pointed at the Riddle Manor only a few more strides ahead.

"I've been watching them all day, Minerva! You can't possibly leave that poor boy with this Muggle filth! Normally, I reside myself against cruelty to Muggles but _these_ people are by far the worst I've seen yet! It's no question that the townspeople hate them and I cannot see one reason why they shouldn't! The boy's father is a layabout with no particular goals in life but to make every young lady within a 50 mile radius swoon for him. The grandparents are no better. The old woman spends her days having tea with ladies equally as horrible and rich and the head of the house is always in his study, fretting about money! _These_ are not the sort of people I'd let watch over my owl, much less a boy like Merope's! Tom Riddle Jr! Live here?!"

"It is the only place for him," McGonagall replied stiffly and didn't allow room for an argument. "I've taken steps to assure that. I've also written them a letter."

"A letter?" Professor Dumbledore looked like he was about to faint. "You can explain all of this in a letter? Really! These Muggles will never understand him! He's already famous – a legend- there will be books written about him! EVERY child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly," she replied, looking serious, "It would be too much. Famous before he could walk? And talk? Famous for something he has no memory of? No, he would be better off growing up away from all that until he is of age." She told him firmly and there was nothing more to say about it.

"How is he getting here?" Professor Dumbledore glanced around as though expecting to see the boy in someone's arms.

"Judy is bringing him."

"Well she is awfully late. I swear, if that woman has ever been on time-"

The roar of an engine interrupted whatever Professor Dumbledore was going to say about her. A single car light was coming slowly into view until the two Professors saw it was a motorcycle…a flying one at that. The person driving it rolled it into a stop a foot away from them.

The person getting out of it was a woman with frizzled blond hair rolled into a bun. Her eyes were bi colored, the left one was brown and the right one was pale green. She wore a large leather coat over her and was wearing bike gloves. In any case, she would have looked like a normal American biker if not for the fact that she just flew out of the sky. She was also carrying a bundle of blankets.

"Judy," McGonagall nodded to her in welcome. "Where on earth did you get the motorcycle though?"

"I borrowed it from Severus Snape. Told me he wanted to help in any way since…well," she stopped talking for a moment, "A-Anyway, here he is, ma'am."

"Any problems?" She asked her.

"No, ma'am. When I got there, though, your house was destroyed. I got in and out with the boy without any fuss. Sorry," Judy dipped her head apologetically as though it was somehow her fault that McGonagall's childhood house got destroyed by the most evil wizard of all time. McGonagall merely smiled and shook her head, "think nothing of it. It was only a house. Houses can get rebuilt. Lives, unfortunately, cannot." McGonagall took the bundle from Judy's arms and both she and Professor Dumbledore peered down at the baby within the cloth.

He had dark brown hair that was still nothing more than a tuft. His face was angelic as all baby faces are. Both could clearly see the jagged shaped scar in the corner of his forehead, shaped like a lightning bolt.

"Is that-," Professor Dumbledore began to ask.

"Yes, he'll have that scar for the rest of his life," McGonagall answered his unasked question.

"Poor lad. So young and already has a scar," He sighed while Judy started to cry. "Judy, I didn't know you were close to Merope." Professor Dumbledore added in mild surprise. Judy shook her head, her bun bobbed as it was loose from their flight.

"I d-didn't know Merope very well on a best f-friend level, but she and I just seemed to click, you know? An-And I'm sure we could have been great friends i-if…" She cut off, blowing her nose and sobbing a great deal.

"Get a hold of yourself, please, Judy. We are not done here yet." McGonagall scolded lightly, though she knew it had affected Judy possibly more than herself. Not many people knew about Merope and even less about her background. But she was very kind and had a good heart.

Judy let out a loud sniff then nodded, taking Tom back into her arms again. "I know, Professor. I know. I wouldn't have asked for this if I wasn't ready to do it. I'll make sure these doffers don't hurt a hair on Tom's head. I-I gave my word." She hiccuped, trying to get a hold of herself.

McGonagall nodded and pulled out a large letter envelope from within her robes and gave it to Judy. "I'm counting on it, Judy. But you mustn't ever use magic in front of these people or allow Tom to. And above everything else, you must not read this letter. This is for the Riddles' eyes alone. They will be forceful and attempt any means to wheedle more information out of you, but you must only reply that you are here for the boy's best interests, as his mother has asked." Judy nodded dutifully.

McGonagall turned to Professor Dumbledore. "With that, we are no longer needed here, Albus," the wizard nodded, "we may as well stop by parties with our friends and family. Goodness knows we all deserve some joy for once."

Professor Dumbledore nodded once more and turned to Judy. "Merry Christmas, Judy, and many good wishes to you." His cloak fanned out and a snowy owl took off into the skies.

Judy started towards the servants' quarters where she would keep the boy warm for the night. McGonagall looked down at the motorcycle and with a flick of her wand it vanished. She looked over at Judy and the boy one last time.

"Good luck, Tom Marvolo Riddle." Minerva McGonagall turned and walked back down the path. When she passed the same streetlamp she had before, she vanished.

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**Chapter End~**

**(If you are thinking what i think you are, let me tell you now that Judy DOES NOT replace Hagrid. She is just Tom's caretaker and only friend to Merope, his mother. This story will have characters that might replace the ones we all know, but not all of them. Sometimes they are simply extras for Tom's development. But yes, Minerva McGonagall replaces Dumbledore's part and he replaces hers. Her personality and his shall be modified a little. And I've changed Mrs. Riddle's name, in case you big fans noticed that. ;) I just didn't like her name.)**

**(Also, some of the future chapters aren't all going to have the same Title or plot within them. This story has it's own changes that shall be seen most in the 2nd book, if i ever get to it. I hope i will. I'm mostly looking forward to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to make the changes) Each new page is a Chapter in the books, obviously.)**

**Yes, I made you a new Voldemort with Harry Potter's full name, just like JKR. ^-^ It just came to me in the spur of the moment.)**

_Next Chapter: The Last Gaunt_


	2. Book 1 Chapter 2 The Last Gaunt

**Chapter 2**

**The Last Gaunt**

Almost ten years had passed since the Riddles had been woken up by a servant and discovering both Judy and Tom Riddle Jr just outside their doors. The owners of the house had been furious at their son for not telling them that they were grandparents. But none of that could be compared to what was in that letter. They badgered the woman holding their grandchild, but she never gave them anything more and had stayed with the Riddle family despite their manners. The Riddles finally given in to keeping the boy they had inherited.

One would have thought that the first scandal was only a spark compared to the wildfire that this one brought. The townspeople were delighted to talk about something new about the Riddles. An unexpected heir to the Riddle name. But they cared little for the boy, really, for they were almost certain that he would turn into something perhaps even nastier than the other Riddles.

But they did not see what was behind closed doors at the Riddle Manor. They did not know that the boy was always ignored by the Riddles and only cared for by their servants. They did not know that the only time all of them were together was at the dining room table. Tom Riddle Sn would shut himself up in his room and only come out for necessities. Thomas and Eleanor Riddle would continue with their lives, though they did their best to stay away from the boy as if he were a ticking time bomb.

Tom Riddle Jr was not even allowed to leave the manor's grounds without Judy or another servant. The townspeople thought that he would be home tutored just like his father, but Tom Riddle Jr would attend the public school of Little Hangleton just like a common boy. The teachers first groaned at the very thought of having to deal with a horrible Riddle in their classrooms but found themselves perplexed that the boy never interrupted them unless he raised his hand to ask an intelligent question.

"He first, was very shy around the teachers and students. Even the first time he raised his hand, it was timid and unsure. I'll never forget the look of utter shock on his face when I asked him what his question was. It was like he had never had any attention from an adult before! He even said '_thank you'_! I couldn't believe my ears! A _Riddle_ saying '_thank you'_!" Mrs. Meadow told her friends.

Yes, Tom Riddle Jr quickly became the teachers' favorite student. He was very handsome like his father, but he was kind, quiet, intelligent, and NEVER misbehaved. Unfortunately, he never had any friends because everyone believed him to be fake and a teacher's pet. He was taunted and bullied the most by two boys named Adam Carter and Kyle White. They were the town bullies to all the children, but they had special time for Tom. They started calling him Tommy simply because they thought it was too much effort to say Tom Jr or Tom II. This name spread just as fast and he had been called Tommy ever since the age of seven.

The only person that never called him that was Judy Wilsmith. She was a maid, mother, and guardian to Tom. She raised him when no one would even pick him up when he was crying. She acted like a mother to him and taught him things like never believe that he was higher or lower than any of the people around him. She called him Tom and nothing else while the other maids and servants addressed him as 'Master Tommy' so they could talk about him without the confusion of his father's name. Tom often confessed to Judy why he had to be called the same thing his father. He didn't like any of the Riddles and would rather have a name of someone that didn't shun him. She would hold him in her arms every time he told her that. Judy also went everywhere with Tom. If she ever caught Adam or Kyle picking on him, she would make them regret it. But both the Riddles and the servants regarded Judy as they would a bun in a bar.

Rich, but lonely. Smart, but ignored. Talented, but hidden. That was Tom Riddle. Dark brown hair and eyes completely like his father and he hated that. He was almost glad to have a scar on his forehead, the one thing he had that his father did not. He also didn't know why he was so shunned by his own family until he once literally froze a new maid.

He told her to stop when she was running away from him in a frenzy. She had seen him make the letters off some book dance around him. He hadn't even realized it himself until he heard her scream. Terrified of being called a freak, he ordered her to stop and she froze in mid run. Just like time stopped. There had been other mysterious accidents, unexplainable things. Tom didn't know how they happened, or why they always seemed to happen with him around.

Luckily only Judy saw this and somehow made the new maid forget what she had seen. Then she had looked Tom in the eyes and asked him the details.

"I swear! I didn't mean to! But she saw me…do stuff! I only told her to stop and-," Tom was rambling on in a panic. What would Judy think of him now? A freak? A beast? Scum?

"You used magic," she finished. Tom stared at her. "What?"

"It's time I tell you who you really are, Tom. You were bound to find out some day anyway. You are a wizard, Tom, and you can do magic." Judy's face was so serious, Tom started to sweat. It was impossible in every book he had ever read, every logic ever taught, but somehow the impossibles made a truth, an explanation for all the odd accidents before.

"Is that why everyone hates me? Because I can do magic and they can't?" His brown eyes started to swell up in tears. Judy's heart broke at the very sight.

"Tom, you have been a very special boy since you were born. Your father and grandparents are Muggles. They are what we call people who have no magical powers. And sometimes, Muggles cannot understand our world and fear it. They also become jealous that they are not special like our kind."

"Our kind?" Tom sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Witches and Wizards," Judy nodded. "Your mother was a witch and so am I, Tom. She left me in your care when you were only a year old after she…died."

"Did she love me? Like you do?" He wanted to know that there were people out there, people who could like him and be friends with him. He wanted that more than anything. A friend.

"Yes, Tom. Your mother sacrificed much for you and always loved you dearly. I promise to tell you more about her when it's time."

"Time for what?"

"When your letter comes. For now, it's better if we keep this a secret, okay?" She placed one figure between her lips in a 'shh' gesture. Tom nodded, "I'm sorry. Sometimes I can't help it."

"I know Tom. You've got strong magic for your age, but we need to control it or the Muggles will find out. You have to promise me that you'll try to keep your magic a secret. Can you promise me that?" She asked him. Tom nodded, "I promise."

That promise was made after Tom's fifth birthday, even before he had gone to school. For many years he had kept that promise. No matter how much bullying he had to take, he wouldn't use magic. Only when he was sheltered away from prying eyes would he even attempt some magic. His favorite spot was behind the shed and large lilac bushes that blocked anyone's sight.

He discovered that he could control animals easily. He never harmed them, but it was really funny when rabbits would chase their tails like dogs and robins crawled like turtles on their bellies.

A month before his eleventh birthday in August, Tom was at his usual spot. But when he looked around, he couldn't find any of the usual animals. He did hear some noises come from not too far away though.

"Yeah! Get it, Adam! I wanna see if it will bleed green like they say!" That was Kyle's voice. Tom stiffened. He didn't want to get mixed up in anything if they were nearby. He turned to crawl away when he heard a small voice.

"_Sssstop it! I'm not ssssome play thing! Ow! Sssstop it! It hurtsss!"_

Tom had never heard a voice like that before. It was tiny but shrill and in pain, making Tom stop. They weren't just doing their normal bullying; they wanted their victim to bleed. Tom grabbed whatever courage he had and dived through the shrubs. Adam and Kyle looked over at him at his sudden entrance. Tom stared at the thing Adam was poking at with a stick.

It was a serpent…A pure white snake, but small and tiny. Tom's heart sank. Did he just jump out of the bushes for a snake? They were probably going to kill him, _then_ the snake. Great act of heroism, Tom, just great, he thought to himself.

"Look who it is, Kyle! Our old friend, Tommy. Forget the snake, let's get the teachers pet." An evil grin spread over Adam's face as the two advanced on him. Tom held his ground.

"Leave! You both are trespassing on my family's land!" He ordered, sucking in all his courage.

"Like we're gunna listen to a teacher's pet like you. 'Oh Tommy, you're such a good boy! I wish everyone would follow your example!' BAH!" Adam changed his voice to mimic their teacher.

"Yeah! Bad enough you're a Riddle, but now you have to show everyone else in the town up!" Kyle threw in, getting within arm's length of Tom. He raised his fists to protect himself or at least look threatening. Kyle and Adam just laughed.

"Oooooh! We are so scared of you Tommy! What are you gunna do? Sick your maid on us? Must be nice to order her around like a dog." They sneered and laughed. Tom forgot his fears and grew angry. "Leave," he ordered in a small voice. They ignored him and Kyle went to punch him.

_Crack!_

Kyle let out a startled yell as a branch from one of the bushes nearby shot out and wrapped itself around his raised fist. Kyle tried to pull away frantically but it wouldn't budge.

"What are you doing?! What's happening?!" Adam looked just as frightened as Kyle and turned to run away but another branch shot out and hooked itself around his ankle, causing him to fall on his face.

"I told you to leave the first time. Don't say I didn't warn you." Tom's voice was the coldest he had ever heard and it startled him a bit. But he was just too angry at them to care. He was just so tired of these bullies…these MUGGLES. How _dare _they insult Judy like that!

Kyle started howling for help but Tom stopped him as another branch went over his mouth.

It wasn't until he had seen Adam cry that Tom realized he had broken his promise to Judy, even if he was defending her. The branches responded by going slack and the two boys ran all the way back to their homes, screaming their heads off.

Tom started feeling awful for what he did. He didn't care so much about Kyle and Adam, but he did magic in front of other people again. He sat on the ground and buried his head in his knees, groaning. He didn't look up until he felt something brush again him.

_Don't cry, boy. They dessserved a good ssscaring._

"I'm not crying. And even if I was, it wouldn't be over them. They got what they deserved." Tom huffed, looking at the snake that was staring at him. A thought ran through Tom's head that was forgotten in the face of danger.

"You can talk?"

The white snake nodded. _But you are the firsssst human to ever talk back to me._

"You're bleeding!" Tom realized, gently scooping up the small snake in his hands. Adam had drawn some blood after all. It curled up in his hands.

_I'll be fine. It isss jussst a ssscratch._

"Are you sure?"

_Yesss. We pythonsss are ssstronger than we look._

Tom stared at the snake. It was the size of his whole hand. He wondered how this snake would ever grow big enough to strangle a dog or something larger, like all pythons do.

Tom stood up. "Do you have a family somewhere that I can take you to?" He honestly wondered if the python was someone's lost pet. The snake stuck its tongue out in agitation.

_I am no-onesss pet! I am wild from a long line of pythonsss. My name isss Lazaroff._

"Lazaroff?" A funny look must have appeared on his face because the snake nipped at one of his fingers. Tom nearly dropped the snake but held on. "Ouch! Hey, what was that for?"

_Lazaroff isss a proud name for my kind! And if I had a name like Tommy, I wouldn't be talking._ Lazaroff stuck out his tongue again.

"My name isn't Tommy. That is just some stupid nickname everyone likes to call me so that they don't get confused with my father, who has the same name." Tom told the snake.

Lazaroff tipped his head in thought. _I underssstand. My mother'sss sssissster wasss named after her mother. Ssssshe alwaysss ssssaid that it wassss troublesssome for her._

Tom had some difficulty getting through all of Lazaroff's slurs but nodded. Tom heard the sound of someone approaching and swiftly stuck Lazaroff into his pocket. "Be quiet for a second." He told him, turning to see a servant running toward him.

"Young Master Tommy! We've been looking everywhere for you! We got quiet worried when we heard shouting over on this side of the house. Are you alright?" The servant slowed down to a trot as he approached Tom.

Tom just shrugged. "I think I heard Kyle and Adam from the village run by. Raving about some imaginary thing that spooked them, I suppose." He told him as casually as he could. He wasn't going to let the whole village think he was dangerous as well.

"Yes, sir… I suppose you're right. Come along, Master Tommy, you mustn't miss dinner."

Tom just walked on ahead towards the house again. Lazaroff wiggled slightly in his pocket. Tom did his best to make sure his pocket stayed in the servant's blindside so that he wouldn't see the lump in his pocket.

**…**

After another silent dinner, Tom bolted up the stairs in a rushed manor and closed the door behind him, locking it. It had a lock on it ever since his fifth birthday.

Lazaroff raised his head out of his pocket and made several angry hissing noises that Tom assumed were serpent swear words. Tom took him out of his pocket and placed him on his bed.

"Sorry Lazaroff, but the last time I brought an animal back home, they – well, they had a VERY exotic meal," Tom scowled at the memory of it.

_Dissssgussssting, _Lazaroff hissed in vile.

"You don't know the half of it. This one time-" Tom continued to talk to Lazaroff well into the night. By morning, Tom had even told Lazaroff about the fact that he was a wizard. (He took it well seeing as he had seen Tom do magic to save him.)

Lazaroff was sympathetic to him and even shared his past with Tom. (According to him, he was three years old so his tale was much shorter.) Tom felt like he finally had a friend. Though Lazaroff was a snake, he could still talk, (at least to him), and have emotions. But most of all, he wasn't fleeing at the very sight of him like his father. That had to of counted for something.

Tom was in a good mood as he walked down the steps to dinner. He had stayed up all night, but he didn't care. However, he was in such a great mood, he had forgotten all about Adam and Kyle. When he saw a disapproving scowl on Judy's face in the doorway, with her hands on her hips, it all came crashing back. He sharply turned to dash up the stairs but didn't take one step before-

"_Tom Marvolo Riddle! Do you want to explain to me about what happened last night?"_ Her voice stopped him in his tracks. He took a deep breath, turned and faced her. He kept his eyes low.

"I don't know what you mean." He lied terribly. He could lie to just about anyone with ease, but Judy was another story. She marched up to him and bent down so that only he could hear her sharp whisper.

"_What did you do to Adam Carter and Kyle White, Tom?"_

"I scared them. They were-"

"From what I've heard, a great bit more than that! Tom! What were you thinking?! These Muggles around here love to gossip more than life itself! Do you even know how much trouble I had to fix to make them forget that little 'scare' of yours?"

"You did magic?" Tom looked up. He wished he had seen it. He had gotten more curious about the magical world each year, but Judy refused to tell him anything until his eleventh birthday for some reason. Each week that drew him closer to his eleventh birthday gave him a deep seed

ed wish that he could use magic to make the day come soon.

"Yes! Otherwise other wizards would have had to come fix this! Don't give me that look, Tom. That's not a good thing!" She hissed as his curious eyes got wider. She glared at him a little bit longer before sighing and her voice returned to normal. "Anyway, some of the other maids thought they heard a lot of hissing noises come from your room all night. Is the heater in your room acting up again?" She asked him, moving on to other matters.

Tom looked confused. "Hissing? No, the heater is fine." Lazaroff couldn't have been talking that loud. He was so tiny for a python after all and didn't hiss that much anyway.

"Hm, well it may just be a whole in the window. I'll check on it later," She turned to leave but Tom stopped her.

"Uh, wait Judy!" She turned and gave him a curious look. He lowered his voice so that he could ask her a question he had been dying to ask since he first met Lazaroff.

"Judy, can wizards and witches talk to snakes?" He asked in hush tones. Judy's bi-colored eyes widened in surprise.

"No. Not many wizards or witches have that ability in this age. Some can be very close to animals and control them sometimes, but never really talked to them. Snakes even less." She whispered back.

"Why?" Tom wanted to know what was so wrong about talking to snakes.

"Because serpents tend to be used by dark wizards, Tom. No one wants to go hanging around snakes for that reason. It could give the wrong impression sometimes, you know?"

Judy looked even more surprised when Tom scowled at the thought. "Snakes aren't evil or disgusting animals. They are really cool predators just like any other, but just because they were _used_ by dark wizards, doesn't make them like them." Tom, still frowning, walked towards the kitchen to sneak some meat to Lazaroff. Judy stared after him. Why did she get the feeling like she had just insulted a friend of Tom's and he was defending the friend?

* * *

**Chapter End~**

**(I didn't want Tom to change too much from original character. He isn't Harry Potter, but he's not evil. He's the heir of ****Slytherin, so he'll have darker moments than Harry did no doubt. I'm just trying to imagine what he would be like under different circumstances and less evil. Things will get more interesting and reveal more about his character at the same time. I've re-read the whole book already so I'm kinda story-boarding how this shall differ from the books. Please Review~)**

**(PS- I'm also working on making a picture for this FanFiction in photoshop. But it probably won't be posted until after Christmas)**

Next Chapter: The Letters From No One


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